Sensitive issue
Opposition parties lash out at move
HAVING an abortion is a difficult, emotional decision that no woman takes lightly.
It is also an issue that can cause sleepless nights for political leaders charged with making the law.
When control over abortion was devolved to Holyrood there were fears it could lead to a restriction of abortion rights.
Now SNP MSP John Mason has recommended just such an outcome in a Parliamentary motion.
His provocatively worded statement sparked outrage across the parliament – including from the SNP leadership.
Abortion laws are well established in this country and discussion of any changes need to be handled sensibly and responsibly.
It is certainly an issue that requires better than the intervention of blundering politicians like John Mason.
A MALE SNP politician sparked fury yesterday by demanding the Scottish Parliament takes steps to restrict women’s access to abortion.
Controversial Shettleston MSP John Mason lodged a motion at Holyrood saying the law should be reviewed as babies born very prematurely now have a much better survival rate.
The row came after New South Wales became the last Australian state to decriminalise abortion.
Control over abortion laws was devolved to Holyrood after the independence referendum in 2014.
At the time, opponents of transferring the powers warned the move would reopen debate on an issue that had largely been considered settled.
Mason’s motion said “a baby’s life does not begin at birth but that its life before birth is hugely important and that it is now not unusual for a baby to survive if born under 24 weeks”.
It added: “From the point of conception, two lives are involved and that both the woman and the baby have the fundamental right to bodily autonomy, health and proper medical care, and considers that the Scottish Parliament should consider taking steps to restrict abortion now that babies are surviving at a younger age.”
Opposition parties at Holyrood hit out at the motion.
Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “In my view abortion should be removed from criminal law and treated as any other medical procedure. This is not a party political issue, it’s a woman’s rights issue and, therefore, a human rights issue. The Scottish Parliament should be progressive and John Mason’s proposal to reduce access to abortion is regressive.”
Leah Franchetti, who will stand against Mason for Labour in the 2021 Holyrood election, added: “These are disgusting comments. Mr Mason wants to criminalise women for exercising control over their own bodies. He is dangerous and Nicola Sturgeon should condemn this.”
Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “Removing abortion from criminal law is a sensible step with support from across the medical establishment, which is why the Liberal Democrats made it our policy last year.”
But an SNP spokesman stressed: “The SNP has no plans whatsoever to restrict access to abortion.”